Weighing-machine



(No Model'. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. H. RICHARDS.

WEIGHING MACHINE.

Patented Nov, 24,1896.

In van ia r/ Wiin 8836s: WW yQwq. M.

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

'F. H. RICHARDS.

WEIGHING MACHINE.

. No. 572,065. Patented Nov. 24, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS I'l. RICHARDS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICU'I.

WElGHlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 572,065, dated November24, 1896.

Application filed April 10I 1896- Serial No. 586,928. (No model.)

To all whom it ntcty concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS I1. RionAn-ns, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inlVeighing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to weighing-machines, an object being to provideimproved stream-supply means therefor so organized as to preventscattering or spattering of the material and consequent waste thereof atpoints above the stream-controlling valve.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification,Figure 1 is a plan View of the upper part of a weighingmachine embodyingmy improvements in the preferred form thereof, the supply-pipe beingshown in horizontal section. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same,parts being broken away more clearly to illustrate certain peculiarfeatures of construction. Fig. is a sectional end elevation as seen fromthe left in Figs. 1 and 2, the section being taken in line 3 3, Fig. 1.Fig. at is a central vertical section taken in line 4 4:, Fig. 2,illustrating the valve open and the supply of material held back by adetent device. Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views illustrating the valve inthe' open and closed positions, respectively, the supply-stream beingshown in said first-mentioned figure as having forced the detent deviceoutward. Fig. 7 is a detail view, in vertical section, as seen from theleft in Fig. 1, showing a stream-deflecting gate. Fig. 8 is a detailview, in transverse section, looking from the rear in Figs. 1 and 2,also illustrating said gate.

Similar characters designate like parts 111 all the figures of thedrawings.

My present improvements are capable of efficient use in connection withvarious types of weighing-machines, one instance of the practicalapplication thereof being to the weighing-machine disclosed by LettersPatent No. 5%,840, granted to me October 29, 1895, to which referencemay be had.

There is illustrated in the drawings the upper part of the framingusually employed for supporting the operative parts of saidweighing-machine. The framing so shown comprises the two side frames oruprights 2 and 4, respectively, connected at their top by the plate orbeam 5, suitably secured thereto, and with which may beformed,integrally, the supply chute or hopper H, (to be hereinafter moreparticularly described.) or which may be made separable and connectedthereto by some suitable fastening means.

As a means for controlling the supply-stream of material issuing fromthe hopper or chute II, a valve, similar. in construction and mode ofoperation to the improved valve shown and described in Letters PatentNo. 535,727, granted to me March 12, 1805, is herein illustrated,although it is to be distinctly understood that some other type of valvemight be substituted without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The valve is illustrated pivotally supported for oscillatory movementbetween the arms or brackets 5, depending from the top plate 5, and itis preferably located substantially beneath the mouth ordischarge-outlet of the chute ll. Said valve will also preferably extendsufficiently far beyond the forward edge of said chute to support thedescending column or stream of material therein, as indicated in Fig.(3. V

For actuating the valve to open and close the same any suitablemechanisms may be employed-for example, those illustrated in LettersPatent Nos. 548,839 and 5&S,8at3, respectively, which were granted to meOcto ber 20, 1895.

It is one of the aims of my present invention to reduce the timeconsumed in completing a load of material in the bucket (not shown) ofthe weighing-machine to a standard, an additional idea being to insurethe greatest amount of work possible in a given time consistent, ofcourse, with accuracy.

In weighing granular materials with the ordinary types of machines wherethe supply stream is maintained at a uniform volume with differentclasses of materials the time consumed in filling the bucket orload-carrying receptacle varies materially in accordance with thepeculiar characteristics possessed by the different materials as theyare weighed. To obtain a reduction in time and assure a uniformitythereof in filling the bucket when weighing different materials, mypresent invention involves the provision of a streamregulator orstream-regulating plate which is operable for varying the vol .ume ofthe supply-stream prior to its emergence from the chute or hopper, saidregulator constituting practically a regulable wall for the chute.(Herein shown as the rear wall thereof.)

The stream-regulator is designated by 20 and is shown consisting of acurved plate, by reason of which construction it offers the leastresistance to the downflowing stream and also tends to obviatescattering of the material. The stream-regulatoris shown pivoted foroscillation between the end walls of the chute H and is movable eitherinward or outward for decreasing or inereasin g the volume of thesupply-stream, as is necessary in practice. Means will also be providedfor adjusting said plate and for maintaining the same in an adjustedposition, and the means illustrated for this purpose will now bedescribed.

The plate 20 is shown having suitably secured thereto at a pointadjacent to the upper edge thereof the actuating-arm 21, which ispreferably a spring-arm, the handle 22 of which is equipped with a pinor like device 22, adapted to be seated in any one of the series ofrecesses or openings '23, Fig. 3, suit ably formed in the end. wall ofthe chute II and concentric with the axis of movement of thestream-regulator 20, whereby when said pin 22 is engaged in any one ofsaid recesses the connected plate 20 may be held against movement.

To alter the position of the stream -regulz'ttor, the arm 21 is sprungoulward (sec dotted lines, 2) and. turned either to the right or theleft, and the pin 22 in the handle 22 thereof is thrust into the properrecess of the series and the plate thus held in its adjusted position.

The front wall 2% of the chute ll will be preferably disposedat aninclination, as indicated in the drawings, so that it serves practicallyas a streanrdirecting wall for directing the down flowing stream ofmaterial to the rear and away from the discharge edge of the valve,whereby the power necessary to close said valve is materially reduced.

In practice stray and separated particles of the supply in descendingfrom a point above the empty valve in the form of a drizzle strike saidvalve with such force as to rebound and in rebounding generally passthrough the space intervening between the valve and the chute, andconsequently are wasted. It is therefore an object of my presentinvention to prevent this waste, which frequently is quite appreciable.lhis result is accomplished through the medium of a yieldinglysupportedsupply detent device, which in the present instance consists of a blade25 and which is substantially vertically disposed when in its effectiveposition, being shown located within the chute II and disposed in theline of flow of the supply-stream. This detent device is pivotallysupported for oscillation between the end walls of the chute, itsopposite edges being preferably in contact with the inner faces of saidwalls, and when in its effective position the lower edge thereof willpreferably bear against the chutewall 2% or a stop 24, suitably formed,so that said vertical detent-blade and front wall of the chute form apocket in which the separated or stray particles of the materialhereinbefore mentioned may lodge, said plate serving as an effectual barto their impact against the valve.

As a means for supporting the blade 25 a shaft 26 is illustrated, whichpasses through the bent-over portion formed on the upper edge of theblade 25 and which may be secured in place therein by suitable holdingdevices. Said shaft 26 will be journaled in bearings formed in theopposite end walls of the chute, and one of the shaft ends is shownextended for a short distance beyond said wall. The detent-blade 25 willbe preferably counterweighted, whereby it is held in its effectiveposition for preventing escape of ma terial. The extended end of saidshaft is illustrated as carrying the rearwardly-projecting arm 27,provided with the counterweight 28, preferably ad justablc along saidarm, the function of which is to hold said blade 25 with its lower edgein bearing ongagement with the wall 2i or stop 2i thereon, so that, ashereinbefore stated, it forms with said walla pocket for the lodgmentand retention of descending particles of material. \Vhen theaccumulation of material is sufiicient to overcome the counterweight 28,it will be evident that the blade 25 will be forced outward by theweight of the mass from its position against the stop 24-, whereby theaccumulated material may flow in the form of a stream onto the valve andthence into the load-carrying receptacle of the machine.

The arm 27 serves as a convenient means for moving the blade 25 outward,so that obstructions may be removed, and also as a pointer forindicating to an attendant by its movement if the connected blade isworlv ing properly.

It is obvious that the counterweight 2b might in some instances bedispensed with, the weight of the arm 27 being then sufficient to holdthe blade 25 in bearing engagement with the wall of the chute, wherebywaste of the material is prevented.

It will be evident that during the normal operation of the machine theweight of the supply-stream is sufficient to force the detent-blade 25away from the chute-wall 24: to permit its flow onto the valve 70, to bethereby disposed of in the well-known manner.

There is shown. supported by the chute 1i, and preferably of a shapecorresponding therewith at its upper edge, the rectangular collar 29,which is provided adjacent to the chute II with the inwardly-projectingflange 30, which serves as a suitable means for supportingthe supplypipe or conduit P, so that at this point a tight joint is provided andwaste absolutely prevented. The pipe or conduit P may communicate withan elevator or analogous supply apparatus, and a stream of material fromsaid supply will gravitate down said conduit P to the connected chuteII, and from thence to the bucket of the weighing-machine.

The upper edge of the chute II is shown provided with aninwardly-extending flange through which and the complementary flange 80of the collar 29 suitable fastening means may be passed to hold theseparts together and preserve a close joint. The flange 31 is also shownas cut away at 32, so that said cutaway, in connection with the flange30, serves asagroove or guideway, thepurpose of which will now bedescribed.

A horizontally-disposed gate is shown at 33, which slides in theguideway The gate 33 is also shown having the stream-deflecting portionor incline 35 preferably of the same Width as the pipe P and chute II,which is interposable in the line of flow of the supply-stream and whichconstitutes a means for deflecting a portion of the descending stream ofmaterial and directing it toward the inclined brake wall or plate 36.The gate is also shown provided with the bent-overportion 37, whichserves as a fingerpiece, whereby said gate may be operated for moving iteither inward and outward into contact with the descending stream, sothat said gate may direct a portion of the mass to the brake-wall 30.

The brake-wall or strea1n-brake 36, which is shown inclined in anopposite direction from the wall 24:, is preferably an integral part ofthe chute II, and receives the major part of the shock caused by theimpact of the supplystream, whereby the force thereof cannot be exertedagainst the valve, liability to disadjustment of the latter beingthereby wholly obviated. Said brake-wall directs the stream to thechute-wall 24, by which its force of impact is further broken. alsoshown at 38, having lugs or cars (one of which is shown at 39) formedadjacent to the upper edge thereof and at its opposite ends, throughwhich pins or like supports carried by or formed on the opposite endwalls of the chute may be passed, one of said pins being illustrated at40.

If from any cause the mass should so clog in the chute as to interferewith the operation of the machine, the door 38 may be swung open (seedotted lines, Fig. 3) and the difficulty readily removed.

For maintaining the door in its closed position during the normaloperation of the ma- A pivoted door is chine, hook-bolts, one of whichis shown at 41, may be employed, which pass through the door 38 and thehooks of which engage a suitably-formed flange 24: on the front wall ofthe chute II.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combinationwith a chute embodying a stream-directing wall and an inclinedbrake-wall located above said first-mentioned wall, of a sliding gatehaving a stream-deflecting portion and interposable in the path of flowof the supply-stream-, and a valve for said chute.

2. The combination with a chute embodying a stream-directing wall and aninclined brake-wall located above said first-mentioned wall, of aconduit communicating with said chute for supplying a stream of materialthereto, and a sliding gate supported above said inclined brake-wall andinterposable in the path of flow of said stream.

3. In a weighing-machine, the combination with a chute embodying astream-directing wall, and an inclined brake-wall located above saidfirst-mentioned wall, said chute having also a flange provided with acut-away portion; a flanged collar resting on said flange, whereby thereis formed by said cut-away portion a guideway; and a gate slidable insaid guideway.

4. In a weighing-machine, the combination with a chute embodying astream-directing wall, an d an inclined brake-wall located above saidfirst-mentioned wall; of a supply-conduit communicating with said chutefor supplying a stream of material thereto; and a sliding gate locatedabove said stream-directing wall and intorposable in the line of flow ofsaid stream.

5. In a machine of the class specified, the combination with a chutehaving a front wall and an adjustable rear wall extending from one ofthe end walls of the chute to the other, of a yieldinglysupported detentblade located within said chute; and means for main taining said bladein contact with the front wall. of the chute when the machine is atrest.

0. The combination with a chute having an adjustable rear wall extendingfrom one end wall of the chute to the other said chute also having twooppositely-inclined walls; of a yieldingly supported detent bladelocated within said chute; and means for holding said blade in contactwith one of the chutewalls when the machine is at rest.

FRANCIS Ili. RICHARDS.

\Yitnesses:

FRE J. DOLE, smv'roiv N. PARKER.

